Building-block.



E. BOEHIV.

BUlLDING BLOCK. APPLICATION min MAR.4.1915.

L named Muy 16, wus.

EDWARD BOEHM, 0F SAN ANTNID, TEXAS.

BUILDIll'G-BLOCK.

Application filed March e, i915.

To all wibo/m t may concern.:

Be it known that l, EDWARD Bosi-mri a citizen oi' the United States,residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Building- Blocks, ofwhich the following is a. :specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in building blocks andthe objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art in the light of the following description ofthe accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be thepreferred embodiments from among other formations and arrangementswithin the spirit and scope of iny invention.

it is an object of the invention to provide a building block whereby awall or maximum strength and minimum weight may be constructed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a building block ofsmall cost to manufacture, light in weight and cheap to transport.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a building blockin which there is the largest possible area oi' mortar bed withsimplicity'of structure and minimum weight.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hollow buildingblock capable of being interlocked in a course and when ttormed incourses the superimposed course interlocking with the course directlybeneath it.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and inarangements and formation as more fully and particularly pointed outhereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l, is a perspective viewof a block or iny invention. showing the top of the block.' 2, is aperspective view oi the blockof my invention showing the bottom of theblock. Fig. 3, is a vertical longitudinal section of a' portion of aWall con structed of blocks or' my invention.

In the drawings, L show a block having a top with lugs or ribs a,thereon. These lugs or ribs are so constructed as clearly shown in Fig.3, of the drawings, as not to increase the thickness of the top wall.This construction whereby the top Wallis of the same thickness'throughout does away with any Specication of Letters atent.

Serial No. 11T/,952.

possibilities 'of unequal expansion or contraction ot' the bloei; duri.Ag the. processes ot drying. hollow bloei:

formed to receive the ribs or lugs c? on the top of the block below itwhen ille bloeit. is placed in position in constructing a wall. It willbe seen that the lugs or ribs a.. formed on the *op to cori open bottomairspaces iori if ing walls in the' hollow interior of the block.

Referring now particularly to t oi L) in the drawings, where a. portionof a. well in process oi construction with my blocksi -..i shown. Thebloclrs are placed in courses with their open sides or bottoni downtheir ends abutting. ,A course is then'built upon this mentioned courseby placing a series of the blocks with their ends abutting and theiropen sides down but in Vsuch a manner that the center ci each in theupper course is located` directly above the abutting ends oi the twobloclis inirne diately beneath it. ln this nianner a wall is built up ofa series oi' sureriinposed courses, the centers of the blocks in eachcourse being directly above the joining' ends blocks in the courseimmediately below lt will be seen that due to the end walls and thetransverse interior dividing will that placing the blocks in a series ofposed 'courses and in the manner described above, that the t `ansvcrsedividing 'vail heing placed directly above the abutting end walls of theblocks beneath it and the abuttingend walls of the blocks in the upperCourse being placed directly above the transverse dividing walls of theblocks beneath them that a vertical weight supporting and strainsustaining 'all will be formed by each ci' this series oi',2 verticallyalined end valls and interior dividing walls extending throughout theheight and length of the wall constructed.

ln building a wall of my blocks great hollow building block, a mortarbed of. large area and peculiar construction, is provided. This mortarbed is formed by the top oi the block and the ribs or lugs o, formedthereon and the cooperation of the open bottom having' the air pocketsformed by the dividing Walls andside and end walls with 15 a series ofhorizontal courses superimposed one above the other. Mortar is appliedto the upper surface of a course, which is composed of a series of topsofthe bloclaand their lugs, and then blocks with their open ends downare placed upon this mortar bed and its attendant mortar :in theposition explained hereinbefore.

Each block of the upper course with its air spaces or recesses, formedby the side, end vand interior dividing walls will 'lt down upon thelugs of the blocks beneath y it and as these lugs are positioned so asto coperate or enterthese recesses, it Will be clearly seen that anypossibility of lateral or longitudinal slipping of the block beingpositioned Will be done away with and also any possibility of the blockbeing moved out of alinement after positioning but before hardening orsetting of the interposed lmortar will be likewise done away With.

The first mentioned of these facts will most materially aid in the speedand accuracy with which a Wall may be constructed, using 40 my block.

The surrounding' Wall of eachair space or recess when placed upon themortar bed of my blocks will surround each lug or rib on the mortar bedand lie between the side and end Walls of the lugs Which Walls formingin efiect pockets between them which ..,W,ll Abe filled with mortar onthe entry of the surrounding Walls of the air spaces of the block above.rlhe entering of the varil ous walls of the blocks above into thesemortar filled pockets of the mortar bed will force the mortar up' andaround these Walls so that upon hardening' and setting of the mortar,the block? above will be firmly and rigidly anchored tothe block beneathby its end, side and interior dividing Walls, which 'Walls Will becompletely embedded at their ends in a solid mass of mortar. I

A wall maybe constructed of my block in 6@ any number of thicknesses orin any number of superimposed courses as the side and end walls may beused as mortar beds in addition to the most effective mortar beds irovided by the tops of the bl elia and treir @il or bottoms down andtheir ends abutting in ,pletely solid or closed as disclosed by theupper blocks upon the mortar beds. How' ever, rfor all practicalpurposes, the solid Iandclosed mortar bed has been found to give thegreatest possible rigidity and strength, but l do not Wish to limit myinvention to such a bed.

My invention constituting peculiar hollow building block described inthe foregoing pages is most aptly adapted for use in s1lo construction.The block may be made with any degree of curvature or in any other formWithout materially causing any complicated or expensive changes in itsmode or method of manufacture. Take as an example, a silo constructed ofmy blocks and the following features will be brought out tending to showits peculiar adaptation to this class of building. Silos are subjectedto an unusual and very strong radial tension from the inside tending tobulge and force outwardly the sllo Walls due to the fact that grain,fodder and other compact and heavy materials are stored in its interior.My blocks with their copj erating lugs and air spaces or recesses andwith their great and effective mortarbeds overcome this radial stress.Itis readily seen in view of the foregoing description, that thistension or stress Ais completely taken up' and overcome by the ends ofthe side, end and dividing` walls of the blocks in Contact with the ribsor lugs on the mortar bed formed` on the block directly beneath them.Further, due to the vertically eX- tending Weight supporting and stressbearing walls formed by the alined end Walls and dividing Walls theblocks are materially aided in overcoming this internal radial stress. s

The blocks of my invention are cheaply manufactured, simple inconstruction, and of the smallest possible weight from which the bestresults of strength and rigidity can be obtained. Due to their exceedinglightness, they are extremely cheap to transport as Well as to handle inloading and unloading. c

It is evidentthat various changes, variations and modifications' mightbe resorted to in the forms, constructions and arrangements describedWithout departing from the spiritand scope of my invention and hence ldonot Wish to limit my invention to the exact disclosure hereof.

lid/hat l claim is: A hollow building block open on its under interiordividing; Walls forming airl space, said ribs equal'in thickness to the'spaces therein, said interior Walls and the end, side and top walls ofsaid block of equal thickness throughout, a portion of said top aboveeach of said air spaces pressed outwardly to form a rib o approximatelythe same outline as the air space below vand of a much smaller etreeJthan said Walls and .top of said block and said ribs forming mortargrooves adapted to receive the depending walls of a superposeol'block,said vmlls occupying" a small aree of the mortar grooves formed by seidribs Whereby the mortar `placed in said grooves is forced a. distance upand around. said Walls loking them rmly to the top of the lower block,substantially as described.

1n testimony whereof I ailx my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

v EDWARD BOEHlVL Witnesses TW. S. PEYTON,

LAWHON.

